Borussia Dortmund defeats Eintracht Frankfurt to win German Cup

The German Cup final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund took place on Saturday night in Berlin. It was Borussia’s fourth final in as many years and having lost the previous three, they desperately wanted to put things right this time around.

Eintracht on the other hand, was the clear underdog, having barely avoided relegation only a year ago.

This final was interesting from an American standpoint as well, given that it featured two US national team members in Timothy Chandler, who started for Frankfurt and Christian Pulisic, Dortmund’s teenage sensation who came in from the bench at the start of the second half.

The clear favorites began the match in an emphatic fashion, with their French youngster Ousmane Dembelé giving them the lead, after less than ten minutes had been played.

After that however, the underdogs from Frankfurt came into the game better and better, using both long balls and quick counterattacks.

They created a few chances this way and Ante Rebic gave them their deserved equalizer, with just under half an hour played. Eintracht Frankfurt could have even had the lead at halftime, but it stayed 1-1 after 45 minutes.

In the second half, Dortmund found their rhythm again and were the better team overall.

But it was a goalkeeping error that decided the destination of the cup. Frankfurt’s shot stopper Lukas Hradecky fouled Pulisic in the penalty area, even though the Pennsylvania native was at an angle, where he could not have done any serious damage.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stepped up to take the spot kick and converted, with an artful chip of the ball into the center of the goal, 2-1 Dortmund!

That is how the match finished, meaning that it was Dortmund who lifted the German Cup for the fourth time in its history, after a very watchable final.